


Blame it on the Bossa Nova

by just_liv



Category: Doctor Who RPF
Genre: F/M, Mattex, Romance, Sexy Times
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-24
Updated: 2015-11-28
Packaged: 2018-05-03 03:28:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 18,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5274821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_liv/pseuds/just_liv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Matt's birthday and Alex can't refuse an invitation. There shall be dancing, sexy times in the shower and of course, Bossa Nova. A night out that can mean nothing but trouble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It takes two to tango... or something like that.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a long time ago. It started very short, and then grew out of proportion, but it was just so fun to write it. I can only hope whoever takes their chance reading thinks the same. 
> 
> No betas, all mistakes are mine. (But if you want the job, please take it!)

1.

She's not sure of how she ended up in this situation.

Alex has to admit to herself though, she's not exactly surprised either.

Somehow, trouble always manages to find her. And as it turns out, it happens especially when Matt Smith is leading the way. And he certainly is right now, with his white t-shirt clinging to his body like a second skin, the thin fabric transparent and heavy, soaked in water. His hair is damp, pointing to all kinds of directions and he has nothing but the most unsubtle erection pressed against her body through his impossibly tight trousers.

It's a good thing that they happen to be under the shower at the moment, but even the cold water is not enough to erase the blush that creeps up to her face and the heat that seems to be emanating from their bodies. Alex does her best to avoid his eyes then, those inscrutable eyes that seem to make her skin tingle while exploring the smallest details of her anatomy without the least discretion.

She gulps soundly. How did she even get here?

A very inebriated Matt – with no regards for personal space whatsoever – speaks casually without taking his eyes off her lips.

"Why Miss Kingston, I must say, this got to be the best birthday gift ever!" He has the nerve to offer her a smug grin and his current state should at least affect his confidence.

A normal person, a proper person, would appear to be at least slightly embarrassed under the circumstances. However, this doesn't seem to be the case here. Matt looks rather pleased and quite honestly, better than ever. Soaked and sexy and too damn tempting and Alex doesn't realize it at first, but she's actually holding her breath at the sight of him.

"Matthew," she uses his name in a desperate attempt to regain control and bring herself to face this as a serious situation. Which, by all means, it is. He's drunk and obviously not able to think through the possible ramifications of their actions, which can lead to nowhere but trouble. Alex knows it way too well because against her better judgment, she’s fantasized about it, way too many times to be honest.

She's actually trying to conceal those exact thoughts when she hears herself saying. "You’re making me wet."

The words slip before she has the chance to stop them and by the time they are out, she already regrets them. Inappropriate doesn't even begin to describe this mess she’s gotten herself into. What's wrong with her? She is supposed to be the adult in this situation. And by the delighted grin that spreads all over Matt's face, and the very childish giggle that escapes his throat, she *IS* the only adult.

"Well Kingston, that's sort of the point."

Yes, trouble definitely has found her.

She's sure of it in the moment that Matt loses his grin and looks at her with eyes darkened with desire. It's written all over his face: he wants to touch her. He wants to fuck her.

Trouble is… She wants to let him.

.::.

This night, in particular, had started as innocently as they come.

It was Matt's first birthday after the end of his relationship with Daisy and the idea of taking him out came from Karen. More than once, during their shooting, Alex overheard his pleads to be left alone, but if there was one thing she had learned over the last two years was that _'what Karen wants, Karen gets_ '. Which, most of the time, was not necessarily a bad thing.

Usually, Alex wouldn't have considered joining the young group. Not that she'd have minded a little bit of fun or the company for that matter. She considered herself rather blessed to have the chance to work with such a fine group of people. They were dedicated and, not unlike herself, full of energy and love for the job. Only, most of the time, she had Salome with her and between the shootings and the frenetic rhythm of their lives in periods such as this, Alex just wasn't willing to sacrifice the few hours she had left to spend with her daughter.

This time, however, as a trap set by the universe, Salome had stayed with her father (and his new girlfriend) in the U.S. Given her being in the middle of the school calendar, Alex and Florian had decided it would be for their daughter’s best interest not to change her schedule.

Now, ordinarily during this time of the year, Alex too was supposed to be in LA, but Steven himself had called inviting her to shoot the Christmas episode. Apparently, Karen and Arthur would also be back, in which this could be the very last reunion of the Ponds on screen. All things being said, Alex just hadn’t been able to say no. That, leading to her presence in London in the _beginning_ of November, with nothing but a very big and empty house waiting for her.

The prospect didn't bother her most nights when the exhaustion washed over her body and she barely had enough strength to make it to bed. But this day, in particular, she had found herself feeling very much awake. And even a bit venturesome. Maybe it had been all the coffee she'd had or maybe it just had been way too long since she had spent the night out. Let alone drinking. And dancing? Let's just not go there. Thing is, when Karen approached her with a rehearsed list of all the reasons why Alex should join them that night, she didn't even have the chance to reach the second item.  

"Alex, as you may not know, last weekend was Matt's birthday and that _gimp_ forgot to mention it to everyone. On purpose. Anyways, we are going out tonight even if it means dragging that skinny arse of him with us. That is after we are done with the shootings, of course."

"Ok," Alex answered without hesitation and the red-haired girl didn't seem to register her reply right away.

"We are only going to a pub and have a few shots, maybe a toast. Nothing fancy, really. Ever since he broke up with _'the one who shall not be named'_ he has been really moody, but that's not a good enough reason not to celebrate your birthday with your mates! You would think he'd have known better than try and deceive us by not mentioning his birthday earlier, but I know how to Google and I'm not afraid to use it."

"I said _I'll go_ , Karen." Alex reassured the girl with a serene smile, not minding at all her nonsensical rambling. Even after working together for so long, Alex still found it quite endearing. As soon as her reply finally sunk in and Karen realised what was happening, a huge smile blossomed all over her face.

"Oh but that's-- that's brilliant! Do you really mean it? Of course, you do! You cannot take it back!" Karen threatened her with a supposedly menacing look but then got distracted again by the news. "Aw, this is great! Now he **definitely** won't be able to refuse us. Not when Miss Kingston herself is conceding us the pleasure of her company, no mister!" Karen's eyes sparkled while her brain scanned the possibilities and Alex couldn't help but smile in return to the girl's fuss. "Oh Alex, we're going to have so much fun! I promise you won't regret it!"

"As long as you don't get me in too much trouble, Karen, I think I'll be just fine."

"Right! Of course! No trouble at all! In fact, I'll make sure we are all going to be on our best behaviors tonight. I have to go now; I can't wait to see Matt's face when I tell him the news! And Darvill owes me!" With her long legs, Karen moved quickly and was out of Alex's sight within a few seconds. But, before disappearing behind the trailers, she turned back and shouted to Alex "Well, a little bit of fun is allowed right? I mean, what could be the harm in that?"

Before Alex had the chance to reply, Karen was gone. Her reaction more than enough to warm Alex feelings towards her decision. A night out with her colleagues, a few drinks, maybe some dancing. And she had always enjoyed their company. Karen was absolutely right. Nothing bad could come out of it.

The definition of bad being the key word to it.

.::.

Alex had been the last to arrive, although it was hardly her fault. She was already on her way when she got a text from Karen announcing a change of plans and the new address where Alex was supposed to meet them. Which turned out to be in the complete opposite direction of where she was headed to. From outside, the new place chosen seemed to be very discreet, to what Alex had been more than very grateful. The name, however, indicated that the location wasn't the only thing that had been changed and her suspicions were in fact rewarded once she entered the bar.

The place was small and cozy, especially on a cold winter's night. The lighting was dim, although colored with tones of green and yellow for the most part. And the song, playing in the background, was definitely _latina_. Not Spanish though, Alex could tell as much, despite not being able to pinpoint it exactly.

She was still absorbing the information about her surroundings when she heard her name being called from a table on the corner. There were only a few people in the premises and most of them were either by the bar or on the - nearly symbolic - dance floor, so Alex had no trouble finding who she was looking for. To be fair, Alex's quite sure that she would be able to recognize him anywhere, though that was something she wasn't willing to admit to herself just yet.

Karen was the first to greet her, a drink in hand and excitement flowing from her in waves – so much for being in charge. Then, Arthur saluted Alex with a composed smile and a nod of his hat. Matt hadn't said a word, but she had been able to feel his eyes on her even without looking, the intensity of his stare taking her by surprise. And when she did look back, it had been only a glimpse before looking away.

The truth was Alex didn't know what to think of it. She certainly didn't know what to do with the attention. Or more specifically, how to deal with it. Matt had never stared at her like this. At least, never this openly and so... daring. This was new. And enough to provoke an undeniable mix of excitement and fear on the pit of her stomach. That being the reason why, from that point on, she chose to focus on everything else but him.

Just to be safe.

"What a charming place you’ve found here," Alex said with sincere admiration, her eyes unsettled by what could have been taken as curiosity for one that didn't know her better.

"The music is really good." Arthur pointed out, indicating a skinny girl with a sweet voice and a microphone in hands _accompanied_ by an older man playing the guitar on the so called stage that was, in fact, nothing but a bunch of sound boxes and two high benches at the opposite corner of the bar. Alex couldn't disagree; though she hadn’t been able to recognize the song being played, the rhythm was very gentle and enchanting. She decided she liked it.

"It's Bossa Nova." Matt opened his mouth for the first time, his eyes still glued at her image. "In case you haven't noticed this is a Brazilian bar." He added with a knowingly smile.

"Oh is that so?" Alex shouldn't like that smile. Secretly she loved it.

"Yeah, once I've told him you were coming he made a point of coming here instead of Earl's." Karen answered only pretending to be annoyed.

"Well, is not every day that we are honored with the presence of _The Kingston_." Matt replied and this time Alex had been the one to roll her eyes in response.

"Oh please, Earl's would have been just fine by me!"

"Trust me, Alex, the change was for the best. The drinks here are infinitely better." Karen assured her.

"You would know." Arthur mocked her and received a nudge in return.

"In that case, I should probably order something. Any recommendations Mr. Birthday Boy?" Alex asked with her eyes hidden behind the menu she had picked up from the table.

"Definitely the caipirinhas."

"Don't indulge him, Alex, he's been obnoxious since his return from his trip to Rio. Like he's now some Brazilian expert or something." Karen added making a face.

"For your information Kaz, even though I have improved my cultural knowledge in my last visit, I knew about this bar way before my trip. I've been coming here for years now." He explained nonchalantly.

"Well if you choose the _caipirinhas_ Alex, be careful, they are deceptively strong." Arthur warned her.

"It's the sugar. You can barely taste the alcohol. I love it!" Karen stated taking a sip of her own drink.

"What are you having Arthur?"

"Oh, just beer. I'm old-fashioned like that."

"And by old-fashioned he means boring." Karen complied.

"Remind me of having this conversation tomorrow when I'll be perfectly fine and you'll be feeling like your tongue is made of sandpaper."

"So Kingston, have you decided?" Matt asked and Alex took her time, reflecting on her options.

She bit her inferior lip and Matt could feel the place’s temperature rise. His gaze was anything but subtle, but then again neither was _The Kingston_. The news that she would be joining them that night came as a rather pleasant surprise, but the outfit she had decided to wear… Well, that had been another surprise completely.

From the moment Alex had walked into the bar, all eyes had been on her, men and women. It wasn't that she had chosen a fancy dress or anything like it. Her attire was rather simple. Black long trousers and a silk blouse in the same color that not only was slightly transparent but also revealed the most magnificent cleavage that had ever existed.

Matt Smith wanted personally to make a prize and give it to the person who had designed the outfit. But that wasn't all.

She was also wearing impossibly high heels, red as the earrings on her ears and the ring on her finger. A single ruby. And of course, there was the hair. Golden, full and bouncing freely above her shoulders. She looked stunning. And the most incredible part was that she didn't even seem to be aware of it, although by then, Matt was pretty sure his lurking may have given her some tips.

In his defense, he was trying very hard not to focus on her chest. So he tried staring at her lips instead, to which he couldn’t help but notice how full they look especially under that tone of lipstick. That didn't work so well, so he tried looking at her hair. It was loose and wild and framing her face like a halo so he had to force himself to look away or he might not have resisted the urge to touch it. Trying to escape from her hair he fell into her eyes. They looked greener tonight, with little golden sprinkles. Filled with warmth and something else entirely. Matt felt an overwhelming pull by her gaze, so his eyes ran away briskly, falling straight into her cleavage.

Again.

He sighed in surrender.

"I suppose I'm feeling a bit adventurous tonight so one of those. But with vodka instead." Alex instructed the waiter who promptly took her order.

"Well, if you excuse me, I have to use the loo." Arthur said getting up.

"Oh, wait for me, I need to go too." Karen announced drinking the rest of her _caipirinha_.

"Karen, going to the loo together is a girl thing. You do realise this is not the case, right?"

"Do you want to have this discussion with my bladder?" Arthur hesitated, "Didn't think so."

And like that, both were gone and Matt and Alex were left alone for the first time in the night. There had been an awkward silence between them although Alex couldn’t be sure why that was. Matt didn't seem to give it much of a thought though, being the one to break it.

"So, feeling adventurous are we? I wonder just how much that covers." He was rewarded with a dangerous smile. Or at least he had classified it as dangerous. This was exactly the kind that made him want to steal it with kisses.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" The flirting hadn't exactly come as a surprise to Alex aside from how easy it seemed to be, flirt with Matt Smith that is.

They did it quite often at the sets, and it seemed like a natural escalation to do it at the moment. It was harmless fun, nothing more really. Or so Alex told herself, loudly enough to suppress the alarm of danger ringing in the back of her head. His eyes sparkled with visible interest at her reply, which she noticed with a certain amount of satisfaction.

"Care to enlighten me?"

"I would if I could. But then I'd probably have to kill you."

"You might as well do it all the same if we keep on this track." He said with a charming smile and she laughed in reply, satisfaction turned into delight. The waiter came back with her _caipivodka_ then. Before drinking, she offered him a toast.

"To the birthday boy. May your wishes all come true."

She meant it sincerely but he couldn't help but think further. To be honest, neither could she, despite her best efforts. Matt had been about to reply, his eyes bright and eager, when Arthur and Karen returned to the table.

"Rude! You could at least have waited until we were back." Karen complained taking her seat.

"But you're back just in time."

"Well in that case..." Karen smiled raising her drink "To our dearest birthday boy!"

"To Matt" Arthur raised his pint and was joined in his cheer by Alex and, a slightly reluctant, Matt.

"It's just another year you know; I don't understand what all the fuss is about."

"Oh, you will. One day." Alex remarked feeling the weight of years. They were all so very young and most of all, so filled with youth and lightness. Like somehow they hadn't yet been touched by the bitterness of life. Most days she could barely remember what it felt like, to carry on without having your heart all mended from being broken too many times.

Funny thing, when she was with them, she almost could. Her tone didn't pass unnoticed by her colleagues.

"Says the woman who hasn't been touched by the years." Arthur replied and Alex couldn't stop the laughter that escaped her. Amused and disbelieving all the same, which lead to Karen offering him back-up.

"It is true Alex! Anyone with eyes can see it." Alex scanned the table and realising she wouldn't win this round, opted to save herself the energy of trying to deny it, not because she agreed with them, just because she didn't want to ruin the mood.

Tonight wasn't about her after all.

"Well, I do feel remarkably young, especially when I'm surrounded by you. There's no point in denying that."

"You know, that doesn't actually explain why you make your company so sparse then." Matt pointed out with a look that said ' _gotcha_!'.

"That's true Alex, you must go out with us more often!" Karen demanded, stomping her cup on the table emphatically.

"Oh, you know that I'd love that, dear. But it’s not that simple. Once you have your own kids, you'll understand it." She explained, mentally flinching at herself for the non-intentional patronizing remark. Gladly no-one had seemed to notice it or hold it against her.

"Why isn't Salome staying with you anyways? Isn't she too young to have her own agenda apart from her mum?" Matt inquired intrigued. He was fond of the little one and the feeling always had seemed to be reciprocal. They did have their share of fun and the girl had always been around whenever Alex was, so it felt somewhat strange not to have her on set this time.

"You'd think that, right?" Alex replied with a glint of melancholy in her voice. She did miss her daughter very much. "She's in the middle of her school period; I couldn't just take her away, so she's staying with Florian for now."

"Poor thing, does that mean you were left all alone?" Karen asked with a pout on her lips, but before Alex could answer her, Matt burst from the other side of the table.

"Há! So that's why you finally accepted our invitation! You just didn't have anything better to do tonight!" Alex gasped at the conclusion. Sure the absence of her daughter had been a circumstantial coefficient, but she wouldn't have put things like that.

To make things worse, her lack of immediate response was taken as a confirmation, Karen covering her mouth with a hand, a perfect picture of shock (even if a fake one) and Arthur sighing heavily, staging what could only be interpreted as disappointment while Matt held an accusatory glare at her.

The way he had looked at Alex annoyed her to the end. She would have none of it.

" _Matthew_ , that's a completely outrageous accusation. The fact that you would even believe it to be true it's unforgiving. And not that is any of your business but, for your information, I did have other plans for tonight. Plans that I have rescheduled in consideration of your person. Needless to say, I'm second guessing my choice right now."

"What sort of plans?" He inquired suspiciously. He was not buying it. She offered nothing but the truth.

"Date plans." Matt had not expected that answer. And most of all, he hadn't expected the twist in his stomach when the understanding of it finally sunk. Alex looked at him with a superior expression then, which only ignited his feelings about the issue.

He was about to reply when Karen got in the way.

"Oh Alex! You must tell all the dirty details now! Who is he? How long have you been seeing each other? Do we know him? Do you like him?" By the time Karen had been done with twenty questions and was expecting anxiously for her answers, Alex had already regretted bringing it up. She should have known better. But, then again, Matt had always provoked the most unsettling reactions by her part.

"Oh, she mustn't like him very much if she chose us over his company. We probably did her a favor." Matt spoke without giving a second thought, sounding way more arrogant than he probably intended to, and his words stumbled in the middle of the table like a debating fish before its final hour.

Karen had looked thrown away by his tone, not quite catching what was behind it, while Arthur had just glared at him and Alex, like a spectator to a battle of giants, both intrigued by who would win it and afraid of being caught in the middle.

By the glacial look in Alex's face, his bets were on her.

"Now, that's very presumptuous of you dear." Her answer was steady and gelid, like a storm in the winter. "But I'm afraid you couldn't be farther from the truth. My friend and I have known each other very well and for a very long time. Enough for me not to trouble myself over some scheduling issues. We'll have the chance to meet again soon enough and Karen, I'm sorry but that's as far as I would go on the subject..." She was looking directly to Matt when she completed, "--after all, a lady never kisses and tell."

Silence hit the table as a wall of bricks then and only the music playing in the background along with the sound of Karen playing with her straw and the ice left in her glass could be heard for several minutes.

Arthur hid behind his pint but not without observing closely the interaction between his friends. Matt was staring openly at Alex, a glare of hardly contained fury (?) and clearly debating internally on what to say next. Alex didn't seem to notice – or care – for it, too busy observing the increasing movement on the dance floor and drinking the rest of her drink. Karen was just being Karen, so he didn't really take notes on that.

The tension didn't seem like it was going to disappear anytime soon and Arthur was about to throw a clever remark about penguins in a desperate attempt to change the subject when an impossibly tall and tanned man, wearing a white shirt and a whiter grin, approached Alex inviting her to dance.

Even Arthur had to admit that the man in question was alarmingly handsome and that his voice sounded like thunderstorms.

Oh boy.

This would mean nothing but trouble.

"Well, if my friends wouldn't mind..." She looked at them and before anyone could make any objections Karen had sent her away, following behind accompanied by one of Mr. Dark and Handsome friends, leaving Arthur and Matt alone at the table.

Instinctively Arthur looked at Matt waiting for his reaction, even if a delayed one.

There was none.

They stood in silence for several minutes until Arthur decided to put an end to it.

"Did you know that penguins use sign language to communicate with each other?" Matt’s replay didn’t come right away.

"That's incredibly rude!" Matt finally answered it without taking his eyes from the _dance floor_.

"Well, I'm sure it's not that kind of sign." That was enough to get Matt's attention.

"What are you talking about?" Matt didn't bother to hide his irritation.

"Peng-- What are you talking abou-- Oh, I see." By then Matt's eyes were back to the ' _dance floor_ ' and his thoughts couldn't have been more transparent. Not from where Arthur was standing, at least. "You know mate, I hate to be the one to bring this up, but you're kind of being a complete idiot."

This time his words certainly captured Matt's attention.

"Excuse me?"

"You are doing it all wrong." Arthur said emptying his pint.

"And what am I doing exactly?"

"Oh, so you **don't** know. Well, that certainly explains a lot."

"Darvill..." Matt warned dangerously and Arthur rolled his eyes.

"You know, the wooing of _The Kingston_. You're doing it all wrong." The remark had been enough to steal Matt's ability to speak for several minutes. His brain swept away by this piece of information.

What was Arthur talking about? Why would he think that... Not that he hadn't thought about it… But that would be… Amazing, yes. Fantastic even. But it could never... That is, he would never stand a chance of... Was that what he was doing?

That would actually explain a lot, especially concerning this feeling that had been residing in his gut all night... why... and...

Oh.

Ohhh...

Arthur didn't wait for his reply. He was done waiting after the events of the night.

"I mean, you cannot treat her like you treat Kaz you know? She's not a girl you can pull the pigtails as a display of affection. She won't respond to that."

"What? Are you implying that Kaz and I..." Arthur interrupted Matt before he had the chance to complete his defense.

"No! I know you and Kaz are only best mates. But thing is, you treat her like you're both in sixth grade and I suppose it works for you two, but in case you haven't noticed, Alex isn't just a girl. She's a woman, mate. You can't push the same buttons and expect the same effects. The mechanics are all different."

Looking at Alex dancing to the sound of _Bossa Nova_ , her body moving gracefully at the rhythm, her figure, her smile... Matt closed his eyes and thought about the look in her eyes earlier when they were not so innocently flirting, the promises, the… fire. But also, the glimpse of something more. A depth of her own, something she had tried to keep hidden, but somehow, couldn't. He could almost picture himself falling into the abyss of her eyes and yet he felt nothing but drawn to it.

Arthur was right.

Alex Kingston was more than any girl. Or any woman, for that matter. She was full of mysteries and layers. And he wanted nothing more than uncovered them all, one by one.The realisation was enough to leave him motionless.

He had always been aware of the physical attraction. Attractive was actually a very poor way to describe Alex and her attributes. As Kaz had said herself earlier, anyone with eyes could see it, or even feel it. But this... He had not been expecting this!

And that he hadn't been able to notice it before and that Arthur Darvill had, well, that had also come as a surprise to him. Matt couldn't help but look at his friend under a new light.

"Was I being _that_ obvious?" Arthur, who had never been good at lying to his friends, did his best by avoiding any eye contact.

"Not completely. Kaz doesn't seem to have noticed. Then again, I'm not sure if the merit is yours or the _caipirinha_ 's. I'm inclined to believe in the latter."

"What about Alex?"

"To be truthful I was beginning to think she was sort of... you know… into to you. But that, of course, was until you pissed her off and she ended up being stolen by Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome over there."

Matt glanced at the couple on the dance floor and flinched at the sight of a very amused Alex Kingston who was, notoriously, having a good time.

"He's not that... tall." But definitely Dark. And Handsome. And a very good dancer for what Matt could see.

"Uh. Yeah, he is." Arthur didn't help. He definitely didn't know how to lie to his friends, even if just to offer some comfort.

"Well, that's just wonderful! What am I supposed to do now?" Matt asked, exasperation reverberating through his voice. He looked to Arthur expectantly, and it took a few seconds for Arthur realise that the question hadn’t been rhetorical.

"What? You're asking me?" He made no effort to hide the alarming tone in his voice.

"Well, so far you have been the _'Kingston's whisperer_ ' here. And since you're bringing it up, how did you even acquire this sort of knowledge?"

"I don't know. I just happen to enjoy watching documentaries about the wild life on the telly."

"Well then..."

"Sorry mate, there's only so much that my limited knowledge on the subject will do for you. As far as I'm concerned unless you're planning to dare the other guy to some sort of duel in order to establish your position as alpha male..." The smile that broke across Matt's face was enough to interrupt Arthur's rambling. Especially when he realised how intently Matt had been listening to his words.

"Oh no, I didn't mean like that! That's a really bad idea, Matt! That guy is twice your size. And it's not like we're in some sort of jungle you know... I'm sure there are civilized ways to resolve this matter."

"Oh don't worry Darvill, I've got this!" With a confident smile, Matt left his seat - almost taking the table with him - and swaggered to the dance floor, straight to Alex and Mr. Dark and Handsome's direction. Arthur flinched.

It was like watching a car accident in real time. Someone was ought to get hurt and the odds were always against the skinny fellow, which in this case, happened to be his best mate.

Matt's timing could not have been better calculated. By the time he reached the couple, the song had just finished. Without hesitation, he poked Mr. Dark and Handsome's shoulder and without giving the man a chance to react, his words came out as bullets of a firing gun.

"Hi. Don't mean to bother you and the lovely lady here, but I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I got the next dance, right?" By the look on his face, the man didn't seem very inclined to give up on Alex’s company. So Matt did a little trick that he had learned by playing the part: he ignored the man’s scowl and with a genuine smile, pretended to just have gotten the expected answer. "Thanks, mate, that’s so nice of you. And oh, no need to look so desolated - I'll save my next dance for you."

The last line was added with a wink and intending to prevent an – even more – awkward situation, Alex touched the man's arm and with a gentle smile, completed. "I'm sure you won't mind right? After all, it is my colleague's birthday."

Alex's tone was enough to settle the issue and with that, Matt was left alone with Alex Kingston in his arms. That went well, he thought while watching the man walk away from the dance floor, a smug grin on his face. But when his eyes returned to Alex, he found her considerably less amused.

"Care to explain what was **that** all about?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"The pissing contest? Between you and Fernando?"

"I have absolutely no idea of what are you referring to. And why are you including an Abba's song into this conversation?"

"Don't play dumb, darling. It suits you almost too well, I might get used to it."

"Oh… You're referring to Mr. Dark and Handsome." At that, Alex had to make an effort not to indulge Matt with a smile. He pretended not to notice. "Fernando, huh? Like the bull! Oh wait, that was Ferdinando. Well, close enough. I've gotta say though, I'm a little disappointed Kingston. I was expecting a more suiting name. Perhaps Hercules or Conan. Well, the barbarian, not the O'Brien."

"You should be more careful Mr. Smith or one can be led to believe that you are jealous." Alex said with a serious expression even though Matt could see a glimpse of something else in her eyes. She was really enjoying this, he realised.

"Would I have any reason to be?" He answered her with a question of his own, his eyes never leaving hers. She blushed in response then and he enjoyed every minute of it.

"Well, of course not. After all, I haven’t been doing anything compromising and even if that were the case, you and I are merely colleagues."

"Oh, you **wound** me Kingston. ‘ _Colleagues_ ’ is such a detached term. And you have used it twice already tonight. I'd like to believe that we are so much more."

"Is that so?" She inquired, suspiciously.

"Well, for starters, I consider myself very fond of you and since we have worked closely for the last couple years and shared so many pleasant moments together, I'd categorize our relationship at the very least as friendship. Then again, your presence here tonight automatically upgrades your position to close friends. And by now, I'd dare to add, dance partners."

"Oh yes, because we are such good dancers." She declared bemused.

"Speak for yourself. I'm an outstanding dancer. Always have been." He assured her and this time, Alex failed completely at trying to stiff her laughter, to which Matt had scoffed, apparently offended by her reaction. "I'm being serious here Kingston. As a child, I have even considered following the profession."

"And what has stopped you? Besides your constant battle with gravity, I mean." He chose to ignore her comment.

"It was a very demanding career and I ended up developing other interests. But that doesn't mean I’ve stopped enjoying dancing."

"Well, I'm sorry if I have a hard time picturing it, dear. But unless they changed the swans of 'The Swan Lake' to baby giraffes, I don't think I ever will."

"Hmm... I suppose I could prove it to you." Now, _that_ got her intrigued.

"Is that a proposal?"

"I don't know Kingston. Do you think you can handle me?"

The weight of his words and everything that could be implied by it would have been enough to make her hesitate, but the strength of her curiosity ended up getting the best of her.

"I'll do my very best."

"Very well, then. But there are ground rules. Well, one at least."

"Which would be?"

"You have to trust me completely." She frowned.

“What makes you think I don’t?” The remark made him arch an almost invisible eyebrow. She insisted. "I do trust you."

"Enough to let me lead?" It took a second for Alex to realise what he had meant.

It wasn't something she had actually noticed so far, but thinking about it, she did tend to take the lead while dancing. Truth be told, it had been a long time since she trusted anyone else to lead her anywhere, even if it meant only a couple steps on the dance floor. She had gotten used to walking by herself. To let someone else lead for a change would mean to resign control. Alex reflected for a moment. Did she even remember how to do that? And if so, why on Earth should she trust the most clumsy man she had ever met of all people?

She hadn't found the answers she was looking for, but that didn’t stop her answer, which took both by surprise.

"Fine."She declared with challenging eyes and suddenly Alex Kingston was in his arms, truly and completely and Matt found himself overwhelmed by the sensations surrounding him.

It was the proximity of her body, the touch of her skin, the perfume of her hair and the sound of her heart beating strongly against his chest. It was the sudden realisation that only thin fabric separated their bodies at that moment and that wherever he'd go, she would follow. It was the way her eyes confessed her doubts and fears and the fiery attempts of his own to let her know that he got her. And on the background of all of it, there was a small voice trying to remind him that there was a purpose in all this.

Oh right. The dancing.

First things first.

Breathe.

He inhaled the air sharply and smiled.

Now, here we go.

He pushed his body against her and Alex lost any resistance, focusing on his eyes and forgetting her feet. They moved smoothly and Alex was suddenly too aware of his hand on her lower back and how pink his lips were, to notice anything else. With her left hand, she held onto his shoulder and couldn't help but smell his aftershave through his shirt. She closed her eyes then.

His right hand caressed her back on its way to her hips. As the tension started to dissipate, Alex surrendered to Matt's touch and the rhythm of the music, her hips moving freely, encouraged by the light press of his fingers. She was almost too comfortable when suddenly Matt twisted her around and then her back was pressed against his chest and his fingers found their way beneath her blouse resting at her flat belly, skin on skin, pulling her closer.

He was still holding her right hand, high in the air, and without any warning, his mouth descended upon her shoulder and all she could feel was his warm breath and the humidity of his lips leaving a trail that went up to her neck and got under her skin. She shivered. And his body immediately responded to it.

Alex held her breath, her eyes still closed. Matt sighed against her skin.

He had thought the move was pretty genius until he realised Alex's bum had ended up impossibly close to his private parts and that she had probably become very aware of just how much he had been enjoying the dance so far. That, made him twists her again, holding her a little less close, while their eyes were locked together once again. She was all flushed and breathless and the sight of her had been enough to sweep him off his feet. He was not smiling anymore.

The wave of desire that ran through his body was suddenly very palpable and Matt was sure Alex could feel it too. His stomach had jumped with anticipation and he couldn't avoid but lean in her direction, an immediate response of two bodies that were attracted.

Their eyes remained locked, daring not to look away.

Until they didn’t.

He felt her escaping from his touch, moving her body to a safer distance (although she must have known by then that, after this moment, the other side of the world wouldn't be distant enough). None of it mattered.

She was running from him. From **this**. He looked away in order to collect his feelings. The music ended. She pulled apart and from the minute their bodies were separated he already missed her. They stood in silence for a little while.

"Well, I supposed you’ve shown me." Alex spoke then, not being able to completely hide the tremor in her voice. She hadn't dared to look directly at his eyes either.

He could look at nothing else.

"Oh Alex, you ain’t seen nothin' yet." He gave one step further but instinctively she took one step back.

The rejection stung like an open wound.

"Matthew..." Her tone was low, a warning, perhaps a plea. He didn't understand. He didn't want to. Why was she running from this? And more importantly, how was she capable of it? Before he could persuade her though, Fernando was back adding to his long list of attributes an impeccable timing. Alex had looked relieved. Matt could barely hide his displeasure.

"I guess is my turn now." Fernando declared with an impetuous glare and Matt looked at Alex, expecting her reaction. She still refused to look at him. He sighed recognizing a losing battle and offered to Mr. Dark and Handsome a meek smile.

"I'm afraid you'll have to dance with the lady here. I don't mean to be rude, but you're definitely not my type. Now, if you excuse me." Without waiting for a response, Matt headed straight to the bar and ordered a shot of _cachaça_. Better yet, he asked for a double. Within a second Arthur was next to him. Matt turned the small cup at once.

"What happened?" Arthur asked cautiously while his friend was making a sign to the bartender asking for another shot.

"Putting in terms you can understand Arthur, let's just say that I was defeated. The female made her choice. And it wasn't me."

"Oh, sorry to hear that mate." Arthur offered sincerely.

"Yeah well, I gave it a shot. And now I plan to drink my sorrows away. Care to join me?"

"I think it's better if I don't."

"Well then, suit yourself." Matt said and swallowed the second shot. One glance to the dance floor and Arthur saw that even though Alex was still dancing with Mr. Dark and Handsome her eyes were focused on something else completely. Someone else.

No, Arthur sighed deeply, the night was far from over and although Matt seemed to have lost the battle, Arthur was pretty sure that it had been just the first round.

.::.

Matt Smith was utterly and royally pissed. Alex had no idea of what had left him in such state - if she had to choose one of the drinks on the menu based on his current condition, she’d probably have to go with "all the above". It was rather late by then and the manager had informed them - not so subtly - of his intentions of closing the establishment.

Well, that had been 30 minutes ago.

Turns out that Karen hadn't been in a better state than Matt and together they proved to be a very _stubborn_ duo. In order to attend the manager's request, after the unsuccessful attempts by using reasonable persuasion, Arthur and Alex decided to change their approach. Divide to conquer had been Arthur's suggestion and by the way, he was handling the situation Alex had come to suspect this wasn't the first occurrence. She had been about to lead Karen outside the bar when Arthur got in her way with a knowing smile.

"Oh no, don't even think about it. I'll get Karen and you can get Matt. He tends to get all handsy when he's in such state. There's no way I'm getting near him again." Arthur explained and, without leaving any space to discussion, led Karen outside with a seemly innocent invitation to take some air. He was almost out when he shouted back. "And whatever you do, don't let him take his clothes off!"

Alex was looking positively alarmed by the notion when she turned around and was faced with the image of a very intoxicated Matt discussing some very important matter. With a lamp.

She inhaled deeply, recollecting her energies and, deciding not to waste any time, moved straight to his direction. The key was not to show any sign of weakness.

"Matt, I'm afraid it's time to say goodbye to your... friend." She added awkwardly but doing her best to remain serious.

"What? So soon?" He looked around and, squeezing his eyes, realised that there was no-one else left in the bar but Alex, himself and two guys too busy cleaning the mess to pay any attention to them. "Where did everyone go?"

"Home I suppose. It's quite late. We should go as well. Karen and Arthur are waiting for us outside." He pondered about her statement and a small pout formed on his lips.

"But I don't wanna go." Alex sighed deeply. This was going to take some time. And a lot of patience.

"It's not really a matter of choice darling, they are closing the bar." She explained unmoved.

"Well then, can't we go somewhere else?" He was whining and that was definitely not what Alex had in mind when once before she pictured Matt Smith telling her the exact same words. River's lines, all memorized by heart, came to surface inevitably.

_That's so close to the perfect sentence._

As soon as the thought escaped the place where Alex usually hid them, she pushed it back.

"Matt, aren't you tired? It's really late and we've worked all day."

"Well yeah, but I don't wanna go home." He admitted abstracted, his attention focused on the castle of plastic cups he had been putting together over the bar. Apparently, the bartender knew him well enough not to let him near breakable items. Especially, regarding his present condition.

"And why is that?" Alex asked intrigued. Her eyes studying his profile while he focused on his current task.

"Because is empty and boring and quiet. There's too much silence and the landlord said that I can't put the music so loud when it's past 10 o'clock. Is it past 10 o'clock now?"

"Yes, dear." Alex looked at him and for the first time, she got a glimpse of the man behind the attitude. Suddenly his behavior during the whole of the night made complete sense. His moods, the drinking, even his behavior towards her.

Matt was lonely. She could relate to that, really. Even if it hurt to realise that his attraction for her had more to do with his personal ghosts than their apparent chemistry.

Solitude was a powerful thing and Alex had lived with it long enough to recognize the damage provoked by it. She knew it almost too well. "C'mon, let's go dear. You're so tired that you're probably just going to black out as soon as you hit the mattress. You won't even notice the silence."

"You promise?" He lifted his eyes from the table and the look he gave her was so hopeful that Alex barely managed to respond.

"I do." She answered kindly. That seemed to work. Matt began to get up - with very little grace - and she helped him with his coat. She was adjusting it around his body when he held her hands with his own over his chest.

"Will you spend the night with me?" He suddenly sounded very sober and sincere. Alex froze for a moment, her heart racing, unable to find any sign of mischief in his blue eyes.

There was only genuine hope.

"No." She said firmly as soon as she regained possession of her speech.

"Too bad. My bed is too big." He sighed resignedly, dismissing the thought with equal ease as it seemed to come to surface, and walked to the exit of the bar leaving Alex behind, dumb folded.

With one hand she massaged her neck only to end up shaking her disheveled curls in a sign of frustration before following his steps.

By the time Alex reached outside she found herself faced with a very disturbing scene. To say the least.

Sitting on the sidewalk, in a mess of red hair and a matching tone covering her face, Karen was crying her eyes out. Soundly. From where Alex was standing she could hear Matt's accusation tone towards Arthur.

"Darvill, what have you done to her?" Poor Arthur looked nothing beyond completely disconcerted.

"Nothing. I swear!" Reacting to the scene Alex hurried and kneeled at Karen's side, also hoping there wouldn't be any paparazzi around to capture this scene. Luckily, that seemed to be the case.

"Karen, what's the matter, darling?" Alex tried to soothe the girl by caressing her flaming hair, concern written all over her face. Karen didn't seem capable of reproducing any distinguish sounds so Alex turned her inquiring eyes to Arthur as well. He rushed to explain as best as he could.

"I don't understand either. One moment we were here, waiting for you guys, and as the cab finally arrived, one look at it and she broke into tears like someone had just shot her kitten."

Matt looked dismayed by Arthur's choice of metaphor but at the way Karen was sounding Alex found it quite accurate. With a troubled expression of his own, Matt kneeled next to Karen.

"Kaz, what happened? Are you hurt?" Her eyes were big and her face was wet but, between the hiccups and sobs, she managed to nod a negative answer. Alex sighed with relief and Matt continued his inquisition. "Then what's wrong? Was it something that Darvill said?

"I didn't say anything! I swear!" Arthur protested but Matt chose to ignore him.

Patiently, Alex decided to take charge of the situation. If there was one thing that her experience as a mother had earned her was the ability to speak through tears. God knows Salome was a wonderful child, but a child nonetheless and by that, not entirely innocent when it came to her fair share of tantrums, even if only occasional ones.

With both hands, Alex guided Karen's face to her direction and, with a sympathetic smile, instructed.

"Now sweetie, calm down. Just breathe. That's it. Nice and easy." Like magic, Karen began to calm down and both Matt and Arthur couldn't help but look at Alex, mesmerized. "In and out. Wonderful."

"I-I..." Karen tried to speak but her words came out in a whimper. Alex reassured her.

"It's okay. Take your time. Everything is just fine. No need for tears." Karen took a deep breath and tried once again.

"I-I... th--thought you were g-go-gone-e." The girl finally managed between hiccups and her words were more confusing than clarifying.

"Me?"

"I-I," Karen took another deep breath, "I thought that you have left."

"Well, I haven't. Not yet." Alex stated the obvious even if that didn't really help her understanding of the problem so far.

"Oh, Kaz!" Matt seemed to have a better notion of what the girl meant and, relieved, he rolled his eyes while petting her head. Arthur remained as confused as Alex or so it seemed.

"I'm sorry, but I don't get it." He exclaimed then, clearly frustrated.

"Frankly neither do I. Karen, you were crying because I supposedly have left?" Alex asked trying to comprehend.

"Y-Yes! I mean no. Not exactly." Karen explained attempting to dry her eyes with the sleeves of her coat. "I thought you were upset with me and that you had left because of it."

"Oh sweetie," Alex breathed easily with the certainty that it was nothing serious. "Why would you think that?" Too busy hiding her face behind her sleeves, Karen left to Matt to offer the obvious explanation.

"Because she was in charge. And I ruined your night."

"Kaz, for the love of God you scared the hell out of me!" Arthur immediately chastised the girl.

"I-I'm sorry" Her voice came out muffled through the fabric of her coat. With a sigh, he came near her and with Alex assistance they helped Karen get back on her feet.

"Karen, listen to me: Neither you or Matt have ruined my night." Alex reassured the young woman.

"Really?" She asked with big brown eyes and a red nose. 

"I promise." Alex guaranteed with a smile. "I had a lovely time, really."

"Even with Matt being Mr. Grumpyface?"

"Oi!" Matt complained but was ignored by unanimity.

"Yes." Alex confirmed.

"See, everything is just fine." Arthur held her in a half embrace and mouthed to Alex what she read as an apology.

"Does that mean you are going out with us again?" Karen asked expectantly and Alex could feel all the eyes on her, waiting for her reply.

"Sure." She sounded not quite certain of it, but no-one seemed to notice it.

Truth be told Alex felt like it would take a while until she would manage to recover from tonight. That, however, didn't seem to matter. Karen - and the boys – were left looking pleased enough with her answer.

"Very well then, now that everything is settled, it's time to go missy. Say goodbye to Matt and Alex, will you?" Arthur told Karen and she didn't seem to mind the authority in his voice like she somewhat used to it. Once again, Alex found herself wondering just how frequently situations like this came by.

More often than not, she was inclined to believe.

"Bye Matt. Bye Alex. See you Monday." Karen gave each a sheepishly hug and went into the cab. That was when Alex realised what was happening.

"Wait a minute. Arthur, you're leaving with Karen?"

"Well yeah, I mean, she's no longer drowning in her own tears, but I still don't trust her enough to find her way back home, not by herself at least."

"What about Matt?" Alex asked alarmed.

"What about me?" Matt sounded intrigued. And still miles away from being sober.

"I'm sorry Alex, but I think you'll have to go with him. I can't possibly handle both of them in this state. Also, Matt moved to a new place and it's in the complete opposite direction of where we are heading to." Arthur pointed out very matter-of-factly.

Too matter-of-factly as it turned out, but Alex had been too distracted by the possible implications to take notice.

"C'mon Arthur let's go. I need to pee!" Karen's voice emerged from the taxi and Arthur used that as his cue. "Yep, we should get going. Call me if you need anything, Alex." He kissed her on the cheek and moved to Matt. "Bye mate. Take care." He added with a wink.

The taxi was long gone and with it, Alex's hopes of an easy way out. She turned to Matt and found him observing her, his face proudly exhibiting the smile of the cat that swallowed the canary as he held the taxi door open.

"Come along Kingston; our carriage waits for us!" He added sloppily and this time his smile included dimples, which was simply infuriating.

If she didn't know better, she would actually have thought that he had somehow planned it all.

The taxi, which had been already waiting for them, turned on the engine while Matt waited for her to enter in a very chivalrous stance. Alex glanced at him suspiciously but had no other option but to get into the vehicle. He followed her closely behind.

And that's the story of how Alex Kingston got herself stuck with Matt Smith sharing a taxi at the end of the night.

How they ended up in the same shower, however, requires a more detailed explanation.

.::.

TBC


	2. Sway me smooth, sway me now... or don't sway me at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, I'm sorry...?  
> I swear this was supposed to be the end. But then, so many feelings were yet unresolved. Worry not, the end is near. And despite the less humorous chapter that this one is, the sun will rise once more and so will a lighter tone for the next events and what's leaning to be a happy ending.  
> In the meanwhile, I hope you enjoy the UST at its very best. Because these two have tons of it. And it would be a shame if all of it simply went to waste.
> 
> Again, all mistakes are mine, unlike the people in the story, who are not mine, nor real (this version at least) for that matter.

2.

As soon as they got into the taxi, the driver inquired about the destination without bothering to give the passengers as much as a second look through the rearview mirror. It was late, cold and unsurprisingly he just didn’t seem interested in anything that didn't resemble his bed and/or a steaming cup of tea.

Alex was about to give him the instructions to where to go when her mobile started ringing. Matt observed her attentively, his eyes never leaving her features. She didn't seem to notice it, too busy fumbling through the contents of her purse while looking for the source of the noise. Her purse wasn’t exactly small, and yet the finding of the device showed to be somewhat of a challenge. In order to reach it, Alex quickly decided to empty her purse, which led to the reveal of a series of items that Matt found himself analyzing rather curiously.

There was a tiny makeup kit - which Matt opened and inspected quickly while making faces to the small mirror that it contained -, a small bottle of perfume that he brought to his nose and inhaled deeply. It was floral, summer _-ish_ and luscious, but more importantly, it was Alex in a bottle and Matt felt very tempted to ' _borrow_ ' it permanently. He contented himself with spraying the perfume at his wrists filling the taxi with the scent of her.

"No Arthur, I'm sure I don't have it with me. She probably just forgot it at the bar. Would you like us to come back and... Oh, she found it. Okay then, I guess it's settled. No, we're fine. Yes, well..." There was also a small notebook with a leather cover, looking rather worn-out - he was about to open it when Alex took it out of his hands, her attention still mainly focused on the phone call. "We're leaving just now. Good night. Bye."

While continuing his exploration, Matt came across a set of keys, then her wallet – and honestly, how is it possible for someone to look so good even in a driver's license picture? Matt looked like a hobo in his, but that's only because he was late that day and hadn't had the chance to shave properly. Alex, on the other hand, looked absolutely gorgeous not to Matt's surprise.

The last item Matt found was a paper napkin and he still had the wallet in hands when he noticed it.

"That was Arthur. Apparently, Karen thought she had lost her mobile." Alex explained while taking her belongings and putting them back inside her purse. Matt didn't reply though, his eyes still completely focused on the piece of paper that remained in his hands.

The napkin had the logo of the bar that they had just left. That wasn't what was bothering him. The name and the phone number, written in a blue pen and a perfect calligraphy, surprisingly enough, wasn't what was bothering him either.

The fact that she kept it for some reason, now _THAT_ was bothering him.  As a matter of fact, **THAT** was making him very uneasy and Matt could actually feel the sting of anger blooming in his chest, realisation suddenly bursting like a bubble of soap inside his head.

So **_this_** was the reason why Alex had rejected him, the real reason.

All night, he had been drinking his sorrows and making up excuses for her actions despite what he had felt - what he knew that both of them had felt on that dance floor. They were co-workers, public figures, he had just ended a relationship, she was sort of recently divorced. When those came up short, he thought of the _friend_ that she was supposed to be on a date with that night. But for some reason, Matt still didn't think that her reaction had anything to do with it.

Maybe because she had deliberately chosen to spend the night with him - and Karen and Arthur -, instead. That being said, there was the age issue - which wasn't an issue for him at all, but he thought maybe it was for her.

Maybe she was scared of getting hurt. Or scared of the strength of her feelings - Matt knew he had been, at least equally scared and excited in a not so insignificant amount. But from all the reasons that Matt had listed in his mind stupid ‘ _Ferdinando_ ’ hadn't been part of the picture, not for one moment.

Well, apparently it had been wrong of him to dismiss Mr. Dark and Handsome so easily.

Especially when Alex hadn't.

Matt handed Alex the napkin and she threw it inside her purse with not much of a thought while giving the driver her address. In fact, Alex was about to complete the information with Matt's, when she realised that she didn't really know where he was living now.

"Hold on just a second. Erm, Matt, darling--" Alex called him noticing he looked rather distracted by the view from his window. Not getting any reaction, she insisted. "Matt."

He looked at her with a blank expression and without dignifying her with so much as a response, turned again towards the window, making it obvious that he was, deliberately, ignoring her. His behavior, as the complete opposite of all his actions until this very moment, left her confused, to say the least.

"Matt, what's going on?" With a long and exasperated sigh, he didn't bother to look at her again, focusing his eyes on the front seat instead.

His voice, however, made a special appearance.

"Excuse me, sir, would you please inform this lady that she and I are currently on non-speaking terms?" Matt asked with a very business-like posture - or as formally as a drunk man would be able to portrait such posture, which was quite convincing once you passed the sloppy voice and ignored the haze of alcohol that was emanating from his pores. 

The taxi driver looked a bit thrown off by the unusual request and Alex looked just as startled.

"Er, listen, ma’am," The taxi driver began but Alex cut him short.

"You're not speaking to me?" She repeated in disbelief, her look quite focused on Matt, who continued to try and ignore her presence.

"Sir, please inform the lady that her assumption is correct. And while doing it so, let her know that interrupting others is quite rude." Matt replied matter-of-factly, which only goaded Alex's frustration.

The night had been too long already and her patience was at its very limit. Matt didn't seem aware of the danger but the taxi driver apparently had a better notion and probably for that reason decided not to continue the translation services or to take any part in the whole act from that moment on.

 "Well then, would it be too much to ask what's the reason of this?" She smiled through her teeth which gave her an almost ferocious appearance. Matt blamed the hair.

That didn't stop him from carrying on.

"Sir, may you please inform the lady what are the terms of non-speaking terms?" The driver who couldn’t possibly demonstrate the least intention of doing it so, just stood there, in silence.

Now Matt, deducing that the man's lack of response was due to ignorance on the matter, did his best to help. "In case you don't know the terms, sir, it includes silence from both parts, desirably. Of my part, most definitely."

The smugness of his tone closed the deal and the last of Alex's patience disappeared into thin air just then.

"For God's sake, this is bloody ridiculous! Would you just give the man your address?" Her explosion was enough to make the taxi driver flinch and her statement had been followed by an awkward silence - in part provided by Matt's surprise to Alex's reaction.

He didn't get to see her losing control very often. Or ever to be more accurate. Surprisingly so it hadn't frightened him as much as he thought it would. In fact, the reaction he was experiencing was quite on the opposite side. So, against any good sense, he just pushed further.

"Sir, please let the lady know that I would if I could, but that's not possible since I don't have a clue of what would be my new address."

The silence with which Alex received his reply spoke volumes. It was fury in a whole other level.

Her next words came out in short calculated pauses. 

"How-is-it-possible-that-you- **don't** -know-your- **own** -address?" If looks could kill Matt would most-likely already be dead and buried by that point. Afraid she wouldn't be able to restrain herself; Alex looked away, attempting to regain her composure.

Matt chose this moment to observe her through the corner of his eye, a small smirk fighting to make an appearance. Now he might have been drunk but he was not stupid enough to let it happen. He was in a mine field there and he knew it despite his altered state.

In a clear display of discomfort, the taxi driver cleared his throat and reminded them. "Erm, I just wanted to let you folks know that the taximeter is working."

His words seemed to pull Alex from her meditational state. Without so much as looking at Matt, she instructed the driver. "Of course, I'm sorry. Just go to the address that I gave you. Thank you." Afterward, silence remained while both refused to look at each other.

Matt had been positively determined in maintaining his posture until he heard a familiar sound that drew his attention. Discretely peaking at Alex, he realised that she was calling someone and his curiosity ended up getting the best of him.

"Who are you calling?"

"Arthur." She responded without conceding him a look.

"Why is that?"

"To ask him your address." She held the mobile to her ear and waited, still not looking at him.

"Now why would _he_ know?" Matt pointed as an absurd hypothesis.

"Why wouldn't _you_?" She looked at him like he was the most impossible puzzle she had ever seen.

And maybe she was right.

"Well, as I'm sure you know I've moved recently. Turns out I still haven't had the time to memorize it." He explained nonchalantly.

"You memorize pages and pages of lines on a daily basis... How is that even possible?"

"You said it yourself, I have better things to occupy my mind with." He completed with a tone implying that he truly didn't believe that there was anything wrong with it.

Alex wasn't sure if she should either laugh or cry given the whole situation.

"Well, for future knowledge, your current address **_is_** important information." She said, not without dips of irony dripping from her words and then frowned.  "And what ever happened to your non-speaking terms?"

Oh, that. Right.

"You... you’ve distracted me."

With a frustrated sigh, she threw her phone back into her purse. "He's not answering."

Another awkward silence. Matt decided he didn't like them. Especially when not on purpose.

"Well, you don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself." And with that, he managed to make her laugh. Out and loud, although drier than he would have liked. He didn't take her reaction too well and couldn't help but look offended by it. "What?"

"Nothing." Alex hid her smile behind a hand, attempting to appease her reaction and failing miserably. Matt couldn’t seem less amused then, so she took pity on him and decided to change her strategy after all the last thing she needed was another childish regression from his part. "I'm sorry."

He held his chin high and proud. She insisted.

"Are you planning to tell me why we weren't on speaking terms?" Matt didn't respond immediately and Alex was almost afraid they were back to square one when his voice finally broke the silence.

"Well, as it is, I was angry at you." He admitted without looking at her.

"You didn’t seem to be before we got into the taxi." She stated, confusion written all over her face.

"As a matter of fact, I was. I just... didn't remember it." In his defense, he did an excellent job in holding onto his dignity while admitting his inaccuracies.

"Well, what reason for, if I may ask? And how is that an excuse to behave like a child?" Alex reacted before thinking and, by Matt's face, she knew that her words didn't do wonders to improve the mood between them. Quite the contrary.

"What? So Karen is the only one allowed to demonstrate her feelings around you?" He asked, clearly offended by her tone.

"Karen was drunk and emotional."

"Well, so am I!" That hit the nerve. Suddenly overwhelmed by the words he could no longer contain, his voice came out in a rush, filled with anger and frustration. "The fact is Alex, you rejected me and I was hurt. The drinking helped me to let go of it for a while, but then we were alone again, and we were close, and you were warm and smelled really nice and there was that ridiculous note from that tosser from the bar. I mean, _Ferdinando_? **Really**?" Matt almost spat the name.

Then he took a deep breath and moderated his tone. "While we were dancing I... I thought you had felt it too. Fuck that, I know you did! Anyways, I remembered ok? And it hurt all over again. So... that's that." He didn't look at her. He couldn't. Not at that moment. She, on the other hand, couldn't look at anywhere else. 

It was more than Alex could handle; the crudeness of his words, of his feelings. He was being childish and emotional, yes, but above all that, Matt seemed genuinely hurt.  He had also been very lonely, Alex knew that now for a fact. And she bloody well knew what was like to feel like that. But most of all, she definitely knew what was like to get hurt like this, especially by someone else's hands.

She sighed heavily then, feeling lost. Alex had never meant for any of this. It was all too much and more than she could handle on regular basis, let alone in one night.

Unexpectedly she caught herself dealing with feelings that weren't supposed to be there. She didn't know what to do regarding her own feelings, how was she supposed to possibly manage his?

When Alex spoke, she didn't match his anger nor his fury.

Her voice came out quiet, restrained.

"We are not having this conversation, Matt. Not here, not now. And definitely not with you in such state."

"Well then," He announced with an angry smile finally looking at her. And there was so much hurt in his eyes, she couldn't help but notice. Then Matt turned to the taxi driver and said. "Stop the car!"

"Matt," Alex tried to persuade him but as soon as the car had stopped, Matt was out of it, walking on the cold streets of London.

Alex's senses told her to keep going, just get away. Run and don't look back. Just do it. But for some reason, she just wasn’t able to turn her back at this and walk off. So, against her basic instincts, she paid the taxi driver and went after him.

He was halfway across the second block when he heard her voice.

"Matt! Matt!!" And when he turned, there she was: high heels and wild hair. A disapproving look as well. Beautiful. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm walking home!" He was all anger again, which was somewhat a relief.

She could handle the anger. It was the broken that was disconcerting.

"You don't even know where you live!" Alex exclaimed with exasperation in every note and soon enough an empty laughter followed her words.

He didn't reply then, partially because she, in fact, had a point but, also, because he had realised something else.

He came back. She was panting and he could see her warm breath through the cold night.

There was no one else on the street but them.

"What's your excuse?" Matt asked intrigued and Alex was taken aback by his question. And the sadness in his voice. She hated seeing him like this. Not broken. Never broken.

She'd take anger any time of the day. 

"What are you talking about?" She asked, almost too afraid to, so her voice came out close to a whisper.

"Why are you here?" It was a question that Alex hadn't dare to make herself. She had thought it was because she didn't know the answer, but the truth was that she did.

She knew it all too well.

"Because…we are colleagues." She replied not with a question, but not with an answer as well. Certainly not the one he was expecting.

"Nope. Not good enough." So she gave another try.

"Because we are friends." He chuckled.

"You don't believe in that more than I do." She thought about it.

It was because she cared.

But the words were not ready to come out. It was too much, it was inappropriate. It was unplanned and unexpected. It was ridiculous. 

"Dance partners?" She answered instead. And this time, it was more than an answer. It was a request.

It was supposed to be just dancing, whatever it was this thing between the two of them, harmless flirting at best. That was when he saw the fear in her eyes, the motive behind her actions. Matt wanted all the answers Alex was not ready to give him.

He would take whatever little she had thought.

As it turned out, he couldn't walk away from it. From her. No more than she could.

"The best." He offered her a sad smile, an exit escape and she exhaled, relieved. She was shaking then and as a natural response, he enveloped her in his arms.

It felt right. They fitted perfectly. But he already knew that by now. 

"C'mon, you can go to my place." Her voice came out muffled by his coat. "It's only a couple blocks from here anyway."

He hesitated and peeked at her from above her shoulders. "Kingston, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Absolutely not." She admitted, defeated. He didn't offer any resistance though and so they walked to her house, not daring to address the topic again.

Just the two of them, in the cold cold deserted streets, holding hands in the dark of the night, though pretending not to notice it.

 

.::.

They were standing at her door.

Alex was busy searching for her keys inside her purse. A challenging activity or so it had seemed. It was taking forever and there was only so much time that Matt could actually stay put, which was not much at all, apparently.

In a matter of seconds he had gone up and down the stairs at least twice, picked up her mail, gotten his hand stuck in the mail box, gotten his hand out of the mail box, admired the small garden, gone up the stairs again, joining Alex in the tiny porch and almost fallen over the balcony while observing the garden one last time.

"Would you try and be quiet? You're going to wake up all the neighbors!" Alex scolded him through a hissed whisper.

"Sorry." He whispered back and before no time he was standing right beside her, peeking over her shoulders onto her purse while his body bounced impatiently.

Once again Alex was reminded of Matt's disregard for personal space.

"What are you doing?" She asked cautiously, not daring to look up.

"I'm helping you look for the keys." He answered with genuine interest. As if not enough, he brushed her hair off, complaining. "All this hair though, it's making it impossible for me to see anything."

With his hand tangled in her hair, it didn't take long for him to be distracted by the richness of its color even under the poor lighting, or for the matter, just how soft the locks felt under his touch. And the smell... A light trace of vanilla that made his mouth water and suddenly he was closing his eyes and inhaling it deeply, only by a miracle not burying his nose into her hair completely.

Alex had to clear her throat.

"Matthew?" Her voice sounded hoarse but Matt didn't seem to notice it. His attention drawn to her now exposed shoulder, her coat hanging loosely after all the commotion inflicted by her attempts in finding her keys.

"Hmm?" He replied absent-mindedly, picking up her sleeve in order to put it back in its place but not without letting his hand caress her smooth skin while doing it so.

Alex suddenly found herself having a little bit of trouble remembering just what she was about to say.

"How do you manage to have such a soft skin Alex?" He asked in a low tone, his lips so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath on the shell of her ear, making her skin tingle all over. "Do you use some sort of magical lotion or something? Cuz it also smells so good. I can't help but wonder the taste...

"Found it!" Alex announced promptly moving away from his reach before his tongue could find its destination. She was already inside when Matt heard her calling him again, snapping him back to his senses. "Are you coming or not?"

He hesitated then, a suspicious look in his eyes. "Now, is that a trick question?"

.::.

 

Alex breathed in and out before turning the lights of the hall on. She needed time. She needed to think. She was having a hard time doing so, especially when the not so distant memory of Matt's fingers running through her hair or sliding over her skin still seemed so achingly close. So close she could almost feel...

Alex muttered to herself, “That infuriating man!”

Turns out she didn't have time to think either. Not a moment later and he was right behind her, entering her house and why did she ever thought this would be a good idea again? What had she been thinking?! Alex could feel her inner self-ready to freak out, but as it was, she didn’t have the luxury of that either.

Ok, she thought to herself, trying to master her own mind. Think! So maybe this hadn’t been exactly planned. Alex closed her eyes. Breathe in. Breathe out. There was really no need to panic. This was her house and she had complete control over the situation.

It was just Matt for God sakes.

Yes, he could be frustrating and impossible. He could also be very charming and an incorrigible flirt most of the time and who had known that he could be such a good dancer? She, for one, could never have guessed. Anyways, that was so not the point. The point being: there was nothing wrong or strange about the current situation.

It made perfect sense come to think of it. He was someone she knew, someone she cared for and he needed a place to stay the night. And that was all. Absolutely innocent. It could have happened to anyone really. In fact, she'd have done the same for Arthur or Karen. And she was sure they'd have done the same for her. Not that she would ever need it - I mean, honestly who forgets their own address? Again, not the point.

All this didn't mean a thing.

Alex sighed.

Not one thing.

She just needed to repeat this to herself… over and over again.

Maybe then she would be able to believe it.

.::. 

 

"I should know when your birthday is," Matt announced, entering her living room.

The place was warm and cozy and the furniture was simple and tasteful. Definitely tasteful, Matt had thought, noticing the balance of colors and textures and how inviting the place looked. Then again he didn't expect anything different coming from Alex.

The living room had a fireplace, two armchairs, a coffee table and one big couch that looked extremely comfortable; almost an invitation.  From the hall, Matt scanned the room and found Alex's coat over the couch and her high heels abandoned next to the coffee table.

He couldn’t help but wonder if this was a common habit of hers. If she usually left her clothes spread around the house, a trail of where she had been. He wondered about the little things too. If she preferred walking barefoot, feeling the wood floor under her feet and the occasional softness of the tapestry. He wondered if she liked reading in bed and which books. If she often forgot where she had put her glasses. If she enjoyed long showers. If she hummed when she was cooking.  He wondered which side of the bed she used and how did her hair look like when she woke up. 

He would like to know about those things. All there was to know. She was checking her voicemail when his eyes found her.

Gray eyes filled with wonder.

She looked back at him and smiled warmly, maybe just a tiny bit jumpy.

"You were saying?" He almost couldn't remember what he was saying. Or thinking. She did that to him more often than he could count.

"Hmm... Right! I said 'I should know when your birthday is’." He repeated and walked to the couch where he deposited his body with very little grace after almost knocking out the lamp from the corner table on his way.

"And why is that?" Alex inquired, adjusting the lamp back to its place and turning it on.

"Because that's something that friends share. Unless you are a rubbish friend. Or at least that's what Kaz says. You already know my birthday so, if we are only going to be friends, I must know your birthday as well." Matt explained suppressing a yawn in the meantime, and Alex hoped that the sleep deprivation, added to the alcohol on his bloodstream, was finally doing the trick.

An unconscious Matt would be so much easier to deal with. "That's what you want right? For us to be just friends?"

She sat on the coffee table, across from him. The answer seemed obvious and yet her voice had somehow been unable to find its way out.

"Of course." She expelled the words, almost too harshly. "Is it okay if you spend the night here on the couch? I have been in such a rush since my being back that I’m afraid all the other rooms, including Salome's, are all filled up with boxes and dusty sheets."

"I suppose your bed is out of the question? Since we are **just friends**?" Alex glared at him and without thinking pulled his legs over her lap, like the intimacy in such gesture had been nothing but natural between the two of them.

It certainly felt that way.

"Let's just take these shoes off, shall we?" She said, ignoring his question. He was wearing boots and the task proved not to be as easy as expected.

"I think we could be good friends, you and I. Best friends even! Cuz I do like you very much Miss Kingston..." He leaned his head on one of the pads and looked at her with a dreamy expression "I like your hair... I like your smile... I like the way you smell, and your skin. I like your voice and when you laugh. I like how good you look in jeans and I do like this blouse you're wearing right now very much cuz it frames so well your..."

The stomp with which the first of his boots came out seemed enough to interrupt his track of thoughts. Gladly, Alex thought, her cheeks flushed.

"Oopsies," He giggled and Alex rolled her eyes. And then he carried on. "You're also remarkably strong. I would know." Matt said, touching his own face, clearly referring to when they had shot the scenes of her slapping him over and over again.

Alex smiled fondly at the memory.

"Oh, it wasn't that bad." She scowled, pulling his big toe over his sock - which had prints of the Bugs Bunny. Alex was not surprised.

"Yeah, well, I kind of liked it a little bit. But you must never tell that to anyone." She hid her smile from his eyes, lowering her head and focusing on her current task:  taking off his other shoe.

"I know what you are doing Kingston." She froze at his words.

"And just what would that be?" A question with a question. Alex hoped he'd bite it.

He did.

"You're trying to distract me. C'mon! You must tell me your birthday." Alex took off his other boot. The other sock had prints of Daffy. The fact that they didn't exactly match - and yet in a way they did - didn't impress her either.

"Fine. But you'll take off your coat on your own in return."

"My my miss Kinsgton, if you wanted me to strip all you had to do was ask." She ignored his flirting, arching an eyebrow in expectation. Sensing the defeat, Matt began to take off his coat but got all tangled in the middle of the process and Alex couldn't help but snort at the sight. "Oi, you could give me a hand here, instead of laugh at my expense!"

She tried to lift him then but turns out that even as skinny as he was, Matt still was significantly heavy. His lack of cooperativeness didn't help either.

"Okay, stop it or you'll end up dislocating a shoulder and I for sure don't want to be the one having to explain this to Steven and the producers."

As soon as his coat was taken off, he fell back on the couch like a dead weight.

"Well, now is your time of paying off. Spill it!"

"Fine. My birthday is on March 11th." He smiled, absolutely thrilled. She contained a smile herself.

"What year?" He asked brightly making her smile disappear.

"Don't push it." Her response didn't trouble him though, the new information keeping his mind busy.

"Pisces, huh. I'd have never guessed." Alex heard him absent-mindedly. What was she supposed to do now? And why hadn't he blacked out yet? Wasn't that what normal drunk people were supposed to do at the end of the night? Then again, of course, he wouldn't be Matt Smith if he acted like normal people. Even if normal drunk people. "I sort of expected you to be a Leo. I mean, you can be very confident and intimidating. And again, all the hair... It can be very misleading." 

"Astrology? Really?" She blurted when his words breached her thoughts.

"What? It's a very interesting subject. I'm not saying that I believe in it. Although there is this one woman who writes monthly predictions for each sign and it's very disturbing just how accurate she can be. What's her name again? Sue, Suze, Susan I think... Susan… something. The woman is a witch, I'll tell you as much!"

Matt didn't stop babbling and Alex finally realised that there's was a probability that he never would. The evidence of it on the amount of excitement reverberating all over his body while he was speaking and gesticulating. She silently cursed all the sugar contained in the _caipirinhas_. Arthur had been right, they were more than dangerous. "I'm a Scorpio myself. Scorpios are mysterious and natural charmers… As I'm sure you've noticed."

Alex sat by his side on the couch and closed her eyes thinking about her options and a possible solution.

"You know, Pisces and Scorpios are one of the best combinations. We are both water signs. Both sensitive. Also intuitive. Both in touch with our feelings."

His hand touched her knee in the middle of his digression, in the most unintentional way and still, she felt a chill run through her body like an electric shock.

A cold shower. Yes! It seemed like a great solid plan. And maybe some warm milk afterward, as a backup plan. Or chamomile tea? Tranquilizers? And if none of these worked... She could always knock off his head with a lamp or something, right? 

"Matt, darling what do you think about taking a bath huh?" Alex's suggestion was enough to shut his mouth. He blinked at her with eyes wide.

"A bath?" He repeated, confused.

"Yeah, I think it would help you clear your head." And knock you out, but who was counting.

"I don't know Kingston... I mean, we've only just now decided to be friends and now you're proposing baths? Isn't that what they call mixed signals?" She couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't be ridiculous! I'm not going into the shower with you."

"Oh." He was visibly disappointed and she scowled at him again.

"And try not to look so disappointed!" She dismissed him with a smile.  "C'mon, I'll help you get there. But keep your hands to yourself!" Before he had a chance to reply, Alex was pulling him up and leading him to the guest bathroom on the second floor.

It took them a lifetime to reach the final destination. It didn't help that Matt was as uncoordinated as a baby giraffe - yes Alex had heard the comparison before and yes she was obliged to agree with them, especially after witnessing it in person. His lack of focus certainly not making it any easier.

During their way up he got distracted by the painting close to the stairs, the pictures hanging on the walls, the decoration, the architecture, how many doors there were in the hall and how, apparently her house, much like the Tardis, seemed bigger on the inside.

By the time they finally reached the bathroom, Alex had been exhausted while Matt looked anything but.

The bathroom was white and clean and smelled like Alex, even though it was just the guest bathroom. In fact, Matt decided that the whole house smelled like her. And that he definitely liked that. He was also enjoying the idea of taking a bath then, the stench of the drinks he may or may not had shed on his own clothes starting to make him more than just slightly nauseated.

"Here we are." Alex announced, opening the door and guiding him inside. Matt leaned against the sink, instinctively.

They exchanged expectant looks. What was the protocol in situations like these again? Alex did her best to recall. Towels! Excellent!

"I'll get you a towel!" And with that Alex was out of his sight and Matt was left with the sudden realisation that he was about to get naked under Alex Kingston roof.

It had been something that had crossed his mind before, though not exactly in this context.

Oh well.

Matt was about to give the first step towards the shower when he realised that he had even less control over his legs than he previously envisioned. Bollocks!

That’s why, when Alex came back, she found him in the exact same position with no signs of improvement, still leaning against the sink, trying to find a solution for the whole predicament.

"Matt? I'm not an expert but I think that entering the shower is something you might consider if you intend to... bath."

"Yes, yes, I'm aware of that." And yet he didn't move.

"Taking off your clothes is also recommended, although not mandatory." She added with a small smirk and still no reaction. "I can help you take them off if you need me to."

And there it was; a spark of genuine interest. "You dirty man, that wasn't a serious proposition you know. I was just trying to make sure you were listening."

"Alex Kingston you are a cruel cruel woman!" She smiled.

"What's the matter with you? I thought you had agreed that a bath would be a good idea."

"I did, I do... But I'm afraid my legs seem to disagree on the matter."

"Are you saying you can't feel them?"

"I can feel them alright. I'm saying I can't _command_ them." Alex stifled a laugh.

"That makes absolutely no sense, they were working just fine right now!" She claimed, but there was no trace of annoyance in her voice. In fact, Matt almost recognized a hint of amusement. "And honestly, even if they're not working properly, how is this any different from any other time?"

She couldn't resist the opportunity to mock him either. "Oi! That's no way to treat your guests!"

"I'm sorry." She said with a smile, not looking sorry at all. "Fine, I'll help you get into the shower."

Matt arched an almost invisible eyebrow. "I thought you said this was against the rules."

"Don't get your hopes up. If I’m going in, the clothes are definitely staying." She got closer and helped him stand up.

"Spoilsport!" He mumbled.

"Oh stop it!" She rolled her eyes.

"Make me." He flashed a grin.

"Now behave! No 'Doctor-River' references. As a matter of fact: No flirting of any kind. If we are going to be friends - as you've been rambling about for the last half an hour - flirting is not included in the friendship deal."

"What? Are you saying that friends aren't allowed to flirt?!" Matt looked absolutely startled by the notion.

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Alex confirmed without hesitation.

"Friendship is boring. I think I liked us better when we were dance partners." Alex smirked but didn't encourage him. In fact, she deviated from the subject completely.

"Let's get this done, shall we?"

Moments later and they were both under the shower. Alex pushed him against the bathroom wall. Her own body following closely behind. She realised then that she should have taken him to her own bathroom. This one was too small. They stood very close and touching had somehow become non-optional. Matt stopped babbling. His eyes focused on her. Or at least that was what she had thought. She didn't dare to look straight at them. At him.

They were nose to nose, not unlike they had been a few hours ago, on the dance floor, the atmosphere surrounding them suddenly very heavy. Silently she extended her arm, next to his waist and before her body could give her away completely, she turned the shower on and cold water fell over their heads.

Matt gasped, surprised and his body reacted moving into her direction. There was nowhere else where she could escape to and just like that, his leg was between her own and trying to find balance his hands found her waist, her breasts pressed against his chest firmly. He looked down and she _breathed_ heavily, her nipples hard underneath her soaked blouse.

The water was pouring over their heads and her curls became undone, dripping heavily. The thin fabric of their clothes turned more insignificant when wet, which made their proximity even more notorious. Not even the cold water seemed enough to gentle the effects on Matt's body. He was hard for her. The desire he had felt earlier, coming back all at once in an almost painful way.

He felt her heartbeats quicken and instinctively pulled her closer, rubbing his erection on her. Alex found herself reacting to it with a low moan that emerged before she could restrain it and, at the sound of it, Matt could actually feel his desire spreading through his veins like fire.

He couldn't help but stare at her, hungrily. Her curves accentuated by the soaked clothes as the silk of her blouse ended up wrapped in her skin in a more than revealing way. One of his hands traveled through her thighs and landed on her glorious bum. He pressed himself against her once more. This time her hips bucked in response and he was not sure if the guttural moan that breached the silence belonged to him or her. When he managed to speak, his eyes were locked at her lips (so close) and his voice was hoarse with desire.

"Well Miss Kingston, I must say, this gotta be the best birthday gift ever!" The anticipation put a smile on his face.

This was it.

There was no other place he’d rather be than right there, right then.

The next best thing would have been inside of her, which he had every intention of doing it so. Right away. Because he wanted her, and there was no doubt about that. Not from his part. And at that exact moment, he knew, fuck that, he could actually feel her response. And she wanted him too, her body giving her away more blatantly than she would ever willingly admit.

Alex gasped, her breath hot against his cool skin and when she spoke his name, "Matthew", it took all of him not to take her right there. But he could still see the uncertainty dancing in her eyes and he dared not to risk it.

He was sure he wanted her. But he wanted her to be sure as well. Nothing less would do.

She had a very somber expression on her face and her next words, almost brought him to his knees. "you're making me wet."

He couldn't help the delighted grin that spread all over his face. And he certainly couldn't avoid the giggle that escaped his throat. He was also unable to contain his immediate reply, "Why Kingston, that's sort of the point."

And then his mind finally processed her words.

Alex Kingston was wet for him. He lost the smile in the middle of the realisation. Then he noticed her dilated pupils and his member throbbed between his legs. Oh, he wanted her. He needed her. To touch every inch of her skin, to taste her, to hear Alex moaning his name over and over again. He wanted to be inside of her. To discover every secret of her naked body, with his hands, with his lips, his teeth, his tongue.

At that moment Matt was sure that his eyes were telling her everything that he dared not put into words.

Words could and probably would scare her away.

He was hoping to have better luck with actions.

.::.

It doesn't escape him how ironic it is that his first decision of actually making a move is not to move at all. He waits. Looking straight into her eyes, holding his breath in anticipation, he just waits.

Against the urge that fights for the command of every fiber of his being at this very moment, he just waits. Anxiously, he waits. Painfully, he waits. Like someone who has been wandering through the desert for days and days and is suddenly faced with the purest sweetest water one can imagine. He means to drink it all, even the last drop. But has no intention of drowning. So he waits.

It's a single gesture, a simple gesture that triggers her response.

He's staring at her, water dripping down his hair, falling over his face and against his expectations her fingertips reach his cheek. With a feathered touch, Alex explores this unfamiliar territory with a special attention conceded to his mouth. She's touching his lips now and in a uncalculated reaction, something that comes just naturally, he holds her index finger between his teeth, ever so lightly. She caresses his lower lip with her thumb then and he can sense the way she inhales the air sharply.

The only sounds in the bathroom are the water falling and their hearts beating wildly. Then, in the blink of an eye, her mouth is covering his and her tongue is inside his mouth, violent, demanding. His mouth opens without the least resistance, not only inviting her in but enticing her for more. They share a hot and passionate exploration of tongues and teeth and moans filled with pleasure and relief.

Matt is taken by surprise by the kiss. Well not the kiss per se, since he was kind of going for it, but how different this feels from everything he has ever experienced, including kissing Alex on screen.

Once the professional barriers are down, there's a whole other level of passion and intimacy and she tastes amazing - that much hasn't changed - but the possibilities! They definitely add an extra flavor to the kiss. Matt is almost overwhelmed by his thoughts and senses when Alex does something with her tongue, a little twist and he can barely restrain a muffled sound that reverberates all the way through her body, which suddenly reminds him: he has hands! Why in the hell isn't he using them?! He corrects the mistake immediately by pulling her body closer and then pressing her against the bathroom wall.

She spreads her legs, instinctively allowing him to get impossibly closer and getting a better access to the whole of her as well. His hands travel all over her body, memorizing every inch, his mouth never leaving hers, not even for air. Her hands aren't that innocent either - first running through his arms - his deceptively strong arms, then shoulders and finally the nape of the neck where she ends up pulling his hair a little bit too roughly.

He makes no objections. Instead, Matt bits her lower lip and smile, his hands now covering her breasts, feeling her nipples hard against his touch. To his dismay, he's in the middle of a full appreciation of this recently discovered territory when Alex decides to put an end to it.

The whole thing, while very intense, lasts less than a couple minutes.

It shouldn't have happened. It was clearly a slip, a mistake. Nothing more. She's apologizing even before her lips have left his completely.

"No... No, Matt." She says with his lips still sealed to hers. He’s too busy kissing her jaw, her earlobes.  She closes her eyes trying to regain control over her body, over her actions. He's making it impossibly hard. His mouth finds her again. Hungry, impatient. A claim over her body as his.

"I'm sorry." She whispers and interrupts the kiss.

He gasps.

For air. For mercy.

"You can't be serious." His eyes are pleading her. His body is still all over her. His hands still tracing the soft skin of her waist.

"I'm sorry. We shouldn't... this shouldn't have happened. I'm sorry..."  If there was fear in her eyes before, when there was just the two of them on the dance floor and the taste of her was nothing but a dream, now he can visibly recognize the panic.

Matt laughs, disbelieving. How can this be? How can she still have any doubts?

Alex Kingston, ladies, and gentlemen: The Queen of Denial.

She looks at him, disconcerted and unsure. It shouldn't make him this angry but actually does, a little bit. Or is it disappointment what she recognizes in his features?

It doesn't matter. It will pass.

Like the drunken haze of alcohol will pass as well. He sighs, heavily, and still unable to let her go, he presses his head against her shoulder. She allows him that much.

She allows both of them that little.

They stay like this for a while until her hands cover his and then she's pushing him away. The gesture is enough to wake him from his stupor.

"Alex..." He starts to speak but she ignores him completely. Before he manages to formulate a coherent sentence, anything that could convince her to change her mind, she's out of the shower, out of his reach.

"I’ve got you a towel and a fresh pair of clothes so you can change. Make yourself at home." She says cordially and leaves the bathroom closing the door on her way out. Matt closes his eyes and presses his head against the cold wall covered in tiles.

On the other side, Alex is leaning against the door, knees trembling and a drumming heart. She touches her own lips, still feeling the taste of Matt's mouth and the roughness of the kiss they shared. She closes her eyes.

Trouble doesn't even begin to describe the mess where Alex has gotten herself into.

.::.

 

He finds her in the kitchen, wearing a fluffy white robe and slippers. Her hair is still damp, darker, a mass of curls spread over the white cotton.

He's sober now. Sober- _ish_.

Enough so his thoughts don't seem so clouded anymore. Enough so he can actually begin to feel the moral hangover. He's wearing a navy t-shirt and gray sweatpants that are a little bit too short, given his height, but comfortable nonetheless. He's also barefooted and his silent approach doesn't give away his presence.

His voice does. "Thank you for the clothes."

Alex jumps a little, obviously surprised. She looks uncomfortable, embarrassed. He hates that look, and mostly he hates that he was the one who put it there. "Is that tea you're making?"

"Hot cocoa." She answers with a small, nervous smile and grabs two mugs from the kitchen cabinet. He sits at the table and waits patiently. Alex approaches with grace and offers him one of the mugs, sitting across from him. "It always helps Salome to sleep when she's agitated."

"I see." He sips the drink and moans appreciatively. "This... This is delicious!"

"Shut up, it's just chocolate."

"It's miracle in a cup." She snorts and he congratulates himself for making her smile. That feels more likely.

They stay in silence for a few minutes. The silence heavy with all the things they dare not to address. Things they aren't supposed to acknowledge out loud.

Matt who has always been rubbish when it comes to such conventions is, of course, the one who brings it up.

"Alex, I'm sorry. It was never my intention to make you feel… I didn't mean to... I..." His sobriety, added to the transparent sorrow in his voice, makes her look at him. She interrupts him, abruptly.

"No Matt, please. It was not your fault. Not entirely at least. You obviously weren't being yourself and I... well it doesn't matter now. It was a mistake. And we stopped before it became... irreversible."

"A mistake..." He repeats meekly.

"Yes well, the important thing is that we manage to move past it and just forget all about it." Alex tries to reassure him.

"Just forget it..." He repeats again, this time a sad smile spreading across his face. Alex pretends not to notice. He can see she's trying very hard to make things better between the two of them.

And he likes her too much to simply ignore her attempts.

"Yes, who knows, maybe with time this can become one of those stories we remember and laugh about it. You know... in a distant future." She truly appreciates the gesture.

"Maybe..." They fall into silence again.

He happens to notice her hands over the table. And in a flash comes the memories of those hands, on his face, on his lips, running through his hair. He covers the flush that spreads over his face with a laugh.

Alex's eyes find him, in a silent inquiry.

"Erm, I was just thinking that hmm... Daisy wouldn't find this story very funny. At all…" Her eyes grow large with realisation and then Matt, understanding what he probably sounded like, scowls at himself. Stupid! Immediately he tries to amend. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just that, well if you must know, you were kind of one of the reasons why we broke up."

"Excuse me?!" Alex sounds ultimately alarmed then and Matt realises that his amends only made things worse. Typical. Alex is frantic, to say the very least. "Matt, whatever do you mean? You can’t be serious!”

"Calm down Kingston! Breathe! It's not what you're thinking. Though, to be fair, I'm not entirely sure of what you're thinking. Could be anything I guess..."

"Well, would you mind elaborating on what you actually meant?" Alex asks exasperatedly.

"Just that Daisy was kind of jealous of you."

"Of me?" Her expression is a mix of confusion and disbelief. "But that’s ridiculous! I mean, I’ve never... We’ve **never**!"

"I know, I know. I've told her as much. Several times. That you have always been professional and that we were only colleagues. I told her everything. I guess she was just jealous of our scenes together... And I suppose the flirting didn't help either."

"Well, that's preposterous, to say the least. First of all the show is PG-rated, and besides you've acted in much more torrid scenes with other actresses - and actors for that matter."

"Truth." He agrees and completes absently. "Though to be fair I haven't been attracted by my former colleagues."

"Matthew!" Alex exclaims, choking on her chocolate and Matt realises what he just said. He sighs to himself but decides not to back down.

"What? You can't possibly say this comes as a surprise to you. Especially not after tonight."

"Tonight has nothing to do with anything. You were lonely and had a few too many drinks."

"So that's the excuse you gave me?" He frowns.

"That's what happened." She decides firmly.

"Oh Kingston," Matt sighs with a sad smile, almost amused, if not heartbroken. "That's so not what happened."

They stay in silence for a while. Both not sure of what to do with themselves.

"I think we are done for tonight." Alex announces and gets up from her chair. Matt rolls his eyes and presses his temples with his fingers.

He is tired. From all the events, from the long night, but most of all, from all the chasing. When earlier tonight he had invited Alex to be his pair, he didn't have in mind this sort of dance. "I already set the couch for you. There's an extra blanket over the coffee table if you need." She says quietly and is about to leave when his voice stops her.

"Alex, you and me, it wasn't going to be just sex. You know that right? You felt it too?" She pauses before answering him. Everything in her compelling her to ignore his words.

But after all the mixed signs she thinks she owes him that much.

"I know." She replies sincerely.

"Is that why you're running?" He asks quietly.

This time she does walk away, leaving Matt in the company of nothing but silence as his reply.

The big empty gap, left by her unspoken words, says plenty.

It says enough.

.::.

 

 TBC


End file.
